Improvement in bag-holders



UNITED S'rirrns PATENT (Duuren.

JAMES BROWN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BAG-HOLDERS.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 209,749, dated November 12, 1878; application filed May 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B.' BROWN, of Vashington, county of Washington, and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bag-Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved machine, showing the movable standard as partially elevated, the arms separated nearly to their full extent, and the several parts arranged in their proper relative locations. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one ofthe adj ustable plates detached from its supporting-arm. Fig. 3 is a vertical section and elevation upon a plane through the center of the supportingstandard; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view, showing the manner of rest-ing the bag upon the adjustable plate.

Like letters in all the gures indicate corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple and efficient holder for bags in which the holder may have all the requisite adjustments--viz., vertically to correspond with any desired length of bag, horizontally to correspond with the area of the mouth thereof, and pivotally, so that one edge ofthe mouth of the bag may be dropped down below the other to afford the requisite convenience for filling; and to accomplish all of this the invention consists in certain peculiaritiesof construction and arrangements or combinations of parts, all of which will be'hereinafter iirst fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

A is the standard or post, secured to any convenient formY of platform, as B, or otherwise maintainedfin a substantially vertical position. It is composed of two parts, one of which remains stationary, while the other may be moved up andY down freely. Upon the movable section the two supporting-arms O O are pivoted, so that they may be separated to any desired extent; and upon this section also are secured the two guides D D, in which the arms O O are made to operate, and which afford the requisite support for said arms, preventing them from being crowded out of place, except in the directions in which the capabilities of the machine require that they should be moved.

The stationary section is provided with a ratchet, E, made to extend upwardly far enough to afford the requisite vertical adjustment of the movable section. This ratchet-'bar ts within a corresponding groove cut in the. stationary section, so as not to interfere with the relative movements of the parts andthemovable section isprovided with a spring-dog,F,

which, as said section is elevated, automatically engages with the teeth of said bar, and

' holds the movable part at the properheight.

Behind this spring-dog F is located'a cam-or equivalent device, a, having a projectingarm, b, with which the rod f is coupled.

In order to elevate the supporting-arms to the desired height, it is only necessary toseize them or any convenient part of the? movable post with the hands and carry them upwardly. The spring-dog F moves over the teeth ofthe bar, and, when brought to rest, prevents the part from returning. To depress the movable section, the rod f is simply elevated, when' the dog is disengaged from the teeth, and being held in this position, the weight of the movable parts will ordinarily carry them downwardly until again arrested by releasing .the rod, and through it the spring-dogi In'this manner it will be. seen that any length of bag may be provided for, and that the desiredad justinents may be made quickly and easily, obviatin g all the disadvatages attending the use of the thumb-nut heretofore employed, which requires that the arms be elevated and :held until such nut can be secured.

' The arms C O are pivoted or, hingedto the movable part of the post, as at h-a point very near the bottom of said post; and in order that Whenever the arms are moved toward or from each other they may move through equal arcs, they are each provided with cogs or teeth g., which engage with each other in a Vmanner easily understood. This engagement secures at all times the location of the 'axisiof the' bag in thc proper position about over the central line of the platform.

The arms are preferably made of strap metal, and the horizontal portions k thereof carried out beyond the upright portions. This throws the weight a little more to one side of the pivots, so that the tendency of the arms is always to spread apart. They are easily brought together by the hands while the bag is being adjusted, after which their tendency to separate, augmented by the weight of the bag, insures the proper holding of said bag; and as the load in the bag is increased, of course the arms tend more and more to separate, and thus the bag is more and more securely held.

The guides D1) are secured to the movable section of the post at a point a little below the horizontal portions ot' the arms; and since these guides maintain a iixed relative position with respect to the pivots h h, the support afforded is notvariable, as in all instances where similar guides remain stationary while the bag-holding arms are made to move up and down.

The two parts of the post may be prevented from separating by the straps or bands del, which in no manner interfere with the desired movement, and the rod f is made to move up and down with the movable section, so that it is always in proper convenient position to be manipulated.

In previous forms of bag-holders the mouth of thebag has ordnarilybeen carried up outside of the jaws, which have, in manyinstances, been made in the shape of teeth, as being necessary to properly hold the bag when so placed. The use of these teeth has been found to damage the bags to a considerable extent; and to avoid this disadvantage I so locate the plates or j aws t as that the bag should be carried up between them and its top brought out over them, asindicated in Fig. 4.

In order to facilitate the placing of the bag in proper position, I iind it desirable to break the line of the face or edge of the jaw a trifle, not to form a tooth at the center, but to afford ameans of holdin gone portion of the mouth of the bagwhile the other is being adjusted. In throwing the mouth of the bag over the jaws it is most natural and convenient for the operator to iirst place a portion thereof on one side with one hand, then to adjust the other side in a similar manner, and then to properly locate the remaining portions 5 and this operation is facilitated by inclining the two portions of the jaws, substantially as shown in Figs. l and 2.

In order that the mouth of the bag lnay be suitably inclined toward the iiller, I pivot the jaws t upon the extremities of the arms C, providing them with set-screws c c, by means of which they may be held at any desired inclination. These screws are located upon the outside of the arms, so that they may be conveniently adjusted after the bag is placed in position, if desired.

As thus constructed and arranged, the device is found to be comparatively inexpensive, easy to be operated in every respect, and practically to admirably answer the several purposes or objects of the invention, as hereinbefore stated.

The device is intended more especially for holding mail-bags, which are, as a class, specially desired to be protected from damage by cutting; but it is likewise well calculated to hold grain-bags, as well as all classes wherewith it may be employed.

I am aware of previous forms of holders wherein the supporting-arms have been made vertically and horizontally adjustable, being attached to a movable block; and I am also aware ofthe existence of some forms wherein the arms are movable upon separate supports, requiring separate means for holding them up.

In the first of these forms the arms are made elastic, and have a tendency always to approach each other, and require a cam to separate them, involving thereby unnecessary labor and expense. In the second style the arms must be adjusted separately, and this before the bag is located thereon. To these forms I desire it understood that I lay no claim; but,

Having now fully described my invention, what I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a bag-holder, the combination, with the movable section of the post thereof, ofthe bag-holdingarms, hinged or pivoted at or near the bottom of said movable section, and connected substantially as described, so as to insure uniformity of' movement, and the guides for said arms attached to and movable with said movable section of the post, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a bag-holder of the" character herein specified, the combination, with the movable section of post which carries the hinged arms, ofthe spring-dog secured to said movable section, and adapted to engage with the ratchetbar located upon the stationary section, said spring-dog being controlled by a cam having a hand-rod connected therewith, and movable up and down with the adjustable section of post, subtantially in the manner shown and described.

3. In combination with the horizontally and vertically adjustable arms, the bag-holding jaws pivoted thereon, and controlled by a setscrew, substantially as shown and described, so that the requisite inclination may be given the mouth ofthe bag, for the objects named.

4:. In a bag-holder, the combination of the two vertically-adjustable arms, provided with the jaws tand set-screws c, said arms `being hinged to the movable portion of the post of the machine, and adapted to automatically separate, in order to conform in position to the width or area of the mouth of the bag, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. BROWN.

Witnesses WORTH Oseoon, Gao. F. GRAHAM. 

